Moonstone Forums

[/quote]Is it heresy to want a slight redesign of the costume to get rid of the striped underpants? I love the Phantom design except for that aspect. I'm not a long-time fan of the character though so I am not sure whether that would be completely unthinkable. [/quote]

I don't think it's heresy, idkidd. That aspect of the Phantom costume can certainly be revisted. For example, the 1996 movie showed Phantom wearing unstriped underpants, and he looked cool that way too. Similarly, while Phantom Sundays still show him wearing black and blue stripes, current dailies show the stripes as black and grey, so yes, this striped underpants thing can be given a long hard look.

I wouldn't mind it if the stripes went. Non-Phantom fans might take him more seriously. I would love to see classic Lee Falk villains make a return such as Mr. Hog. The Phantom should do some more globe trotting. I also have this idea that may be cool. There could be a special issue where each page is fully illustrated by a different artist. If that happens then I'm in for the project.

The stripes were only added to the costume in the first place because editors were afraid the Phantom, the first tights-wearing hero, would be perceived as being naked by readers of the black and white newspaper strips.

He worked fine without them in the Billy Zane film, but I don't wish to see them go entirely. However, this is how I'd like to see them drawn, a little more subtle in a way:
http://phanworks.deviantart.com/art/The-...l-95403398
(the guy who does these drawings is brilliant, and should be hired to draw the character professionally for some company ASAP. His update of the costume is perfect)

As for people taking him more seriously without the stripes, that may be right. If I was somehow making a new Phantom movie (it's happened in my dreams) I would in all honestly most likely get rid of them, they wouldn't necessarily work that well on screen. However, I don't think it's any less "serious" than wearing a big, black/yellow bat-logo on your chest.

Funny there's so much talk about the costume...

Well, I guess it could be the only costume-hero outfit that hasn't changed in the slightest since 1936 (not counting spin-offs such as Phantom 2040).... Maybe together with Zorro and the Spirit, I don't know.

But yeah, maybe this should be in another thread. It's an interesting topic nevertheless!

To get back on topic, I have a question I have pondered for some time now, that I hope you could answer, Mike: To what extent do you intend to "darker" the stories with The Phantom: Ghost Who Walks? Does this mean the Phantom himself will become a more brooding soul, like one Bruce Wayne, or is it simply the tone of the story, and the events Kit Walker encounters, that will become more moody?

I ask because you have said on many occassions that part of the Phantom's appeal is that he has always been a very clearly defined hero, and I would personally be disappointed if that changed (though that doesn't mean I would not love to see more peaks inside the head of Mr. Walker; how he feels about his strange legacy and so on).

The (great) DC series written by Mark Verheiden proved that it IS possible to make the Phantom a darker character, and make it work great, and I am curious to see what will be done with the new direction of the book. The DC Phantom appeared very frightening and, in lack of better word, badass to those who opposed him, but he was still kind and comforting when spending time with friends. One mistake I feel DC has done with Batman in the latest years is to make him so damn unlikeable to EVERYONE that I just don't root for the guy anymore. Although I trust Mike would never do this with the Phantom, I would love to know more about to what extent the new series will be "dark".

To finish of this overlong, shapeless post, I am anticipating this all new book like I would have anticipated a new (non-animated) Star Wars movie or something. I can't wait to get issue 0 in my hands.

Put it this way, just as our world has become "darker" over the last 30-40 years, so to will the world The Phantom operates in. There won't be any beach parties outside the treehouse or dolphin skiing, just more of what's been building in the last dozen issues of the current series.

Mike,

If you can keep to the idea that the Phantom legacy is a light cutting through that darkness, then this should be a success. I've been here since the first mini-series and intend to hang around for awhile.

Back on topic, could we get a tale that takes place in Egypt?

Best of luck to you and the rest at Moonstone Central.

Ticktock

Did you read the Checkmate arc?

D'OH! This is what I get for posting on the run. I want a tale that takes place in 1920s Egypt. Just imagine the tag line for Previews: Can The Ghost Who Walks defeat The Curse of Tutankhamen?

Ticktock
(properly chastened)

Honestly, what I like to see most is a reliable shipping schedule. I'm not really one to complain about such things but the gap between #24 and #25 was really stretching it. I'm just hoping the Moonstoners can fix the problem before #1is released because the delays are really hurting the series. On a recent episode of Comic Geek Speak on of the geeks said he's passing on the new series because the first one was so late. I'm sure he's not the only one.